Chiaroscuro
by Rivendell101
Summary: "Chiaroscuro: an effect of contrasted light and shadow created by light falling unevenly or from a particular direction on something." In a world of black and white and shades of gray, Natsu finds a galaxy of color in the girl at the flower store. / NaLu soulmate!AU


**Chiaroscuro**

 **[kyärəˈsk(y)o͝orō/]**

 **{an effect of contrasted light and shadow created by light falling unevenly or from a particular direction on something.}**

Natsu thinks that buying flowers would be a whole lot simpler if he could actually _see_ what he's buying. Sure, the flower looks nice, but he has no idea what color it is. Not that knowing would matter much. He can't see color, after all—no one can, not until they meet their quote unquote soulmate. Natsu thinks that's just a load of crap that his parents made up to make him feel better about being colorblind. He wishes they would just tell him the truth about it, instead of lying to make him feel better. Sure, having someone be his other half—his better half—sounds wonderful and thrilling, but it's all just a big lie. He can handle seeing in shades of gray for the rest of his life. What he can't handle is holding out hope for someone that doesn't exist.

Huffing to himself, Natsu releases the flower he's been looking at—some sort of rose, he thinks—and runs a frustrated hand through his hair. He doesn't know why he makes this so hard for himself—why he spends so much time weaving the isles of Nova, the little flower shop only a few blocks down from his apartment. He always ends up buying the same flowers for his mother anyway. Hours and hours of walking through this shop and he always buys the same damn thing.

If he could see in color, this shop would probably be rather cozy. There's greenery everywhere: vines hanging from hooks on the walls, row and rows of bright flowers, a galaxy painted on the ceiling in great swirls and littered with stars. If only he could appreciate all of it. Instead, this shop is dark. The shades of gray are too much and the smells hurt his nose.

Today is different though. He walked into the shop expecting to see Sorano or Yukino sitting up at the front—maybe even Loke, on a good day—but the first thing he saw upon entering the shop was someone new. A small, pretty thing with a smile that lit up the room when she saw him. For a moment, he lost his breath, unable to even think as her eyes met his and her lips curved up at the edges beautifully. Something bright had flickered across his vision for just a second and he stumbled, careening into a shelf of flower pots and nearly knocking them to the ground.

By the time he looked up again she was back to watering a small lemon tree sitting on the front counter.

Heading over to a row of large flowers, Natsu looks for the familiar shade of gray that he always gets. It's a decently light color, probably something yellow or pink. His mother never seems to complain about them, so he thinks he's been doing a pretty good job. After four years, he'd like to think his mother would tell him if she didn't like the flowers.

Though, maybe that's her trying to spare his feeling—just like his colorblindness.

Natsu sighs and grabs the pretty flowers, cradling them gently in his palm. Casting a quick glance towards the girl at the register, his grip tightens on the stems unconsciously, his palms suddenly feeling clammy with sweat. As if she can feel his gaze, the girl's head snaps up, her eyes immediately locking with his, her lips twitching.

There's another flash in his vision, this time accompanied by a shock of pain in the base of his skull. Natsu rips his gaze away from hers, eyes squeezing shut tightly as he grits his teeth, hissing through them. The girl gasps in time with him, but he can't bring himself to look at her and find out why. He's not sure what's happening to him. Nothing like this has ever happened before—not even once in his twenty-two years of life.

It shouldn't physically _hurt_ to look at someone.

The pain is gone just as suddenly as it was there, almost as if it never happened.

Natsu releases a shaky breath, the sound oddly loud in the silent shop. Swallowing thickly, Natsu steels his nerves and shakes away his confusion. He can worry about it later. A moment later, he finds himself standing in front of the register, a dirt speckled counter the only thing separating him from her.

She doesn't look at him as steps up to the counter, her gaze focused on the flowers in his hand, and something tugs at his gut uncomfortably, his throat tightening with some emotion he doesn't understand.

"Peonies," she says suddenly, glancing up at him. Her eyes lock with Natsu's shocked ones and suddenly his heart rate skyrockets, the muscle trying to tear straight from his chest. He holds her gaze, the back of his head beginning to throb with pain unexpectedly. This time he doesn't look away. The girl winces, but holds his gaze with hers, her eyes suddenly brighter than they were before.

The pain travels to his temple, but he ignores it. "What?" he murmurs back after several long seconds, his tongue feeling heavy in his mouth.

Her lips quirk up into a smile that drags the breath from his lungs. "Peonies," she repeats, nodding to the flowers in his hand. He doesn't look away and neither does she. "They mean good fortune and a happy marriage," she explains to him. He can barely hear her over the blood rushing through his ears, his heart beginning to beat out of control.

The pain behind his eyes is burning him and he can feel tears beginning to gather in the corner of his eyes. He bites his tongue harshly, attempting to ignore the intense feeling. Her eyes are glossy as well, but doesn't have the faintest idea _why_.

"It's my parent's anniversary," he blurts, sucking in a ragged breath as the pain doubles it's efforts, nearly driving him over the edge.

She exhales a shaky little breath as she reaches out for the flowers to wrap them. "Well, I'm sure they'll love this." Her fingers brush against his, barely ghosting over his skin and there's a sharp sting behind his eyes—almost like a shock. He grits his teeth to keep from crying out, his eyes slamming shut as the sting tears through his almost violently. She gasps, a strangled sound leaving her throat, and Natsu forces his eyes to open—to make sure she's _okay_.

The first thing he sees are pale pink peonies.

* * *

 **AN: I hope you guys are ready for a new AU! This is going to be multiple chapters, so be on the look out for more to come! This is more of a prologue than anything else ;)**


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